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Jacksonville RC closed a 120 dog master in a day with the biggest number of pro handled dogs being 7. Two other pros have 6 each. How do those of you bitching about pros taking all the spots explain that? Three pros taking up 19 spots in a 120 dog field. There are a couple other pros with two or three dogs, but there are also numerous non pros with two and three dogs.

Views and opinions expressed herein by Badbullgator do not necessarily represent the policies or position of RTF. RTF and all of it's subsidiaries can not be held liable for the off centered humor and politically incorrect comments of the author.
Corey Burke

Views and opinions expressed herein by Badbullgator do not necessarily represent the policies or position of RTF. RTF and all of it's subsidiaries can not be held liable for the off centered humor and politically incorrect comments of the author.
Corey Burke

Jacksonville RC closed a 120 dog master in a day with the biggest number of pro handled dogs being 7. Two other pros have 6 each. How do those of you bitching about pros taking all the spots explain that? Three pros taking up 19 spots in a 120 dog field. There are a couple other pros with two or three dogs, but there are also numerous non pros with two and three dogs.

Our clubs Master test last year had something like 57 out of 60 dogs taken by two pros. The test was filled within an hour of opening

I had my dog with Dave Ward and she had just finished her MH. He said he was going to quit HT and switch to FT because the Master National was implementing a four-dog limit per handler. Scarlett died in 2011 just shy of 17 years old and she finished her MH at 4 so it was a few years ago.

I really find it hard to believe that one pro has 20 MH dogs at one time? If he does than his future is in jeopardy. If I was a pro Id have a mix of JH-MH that way my business keeps moving ahead.
So for the pros here how many of you have nothing but one level dog on their truck?
In a 60 dog field if 6 pros showed with 5 MH dogs that's only half the field.

I'm really confused by some of the comments. Now if the club is a MN approved I could see a pro entering all his clients wishing to have their dog qualify for the MN.

The foundation to a great retriever is obedience.
Firestorms Full Throttle Chevy aka Callie-Roo 7/5/2007 - 10/25/2013 I miss you every day
Proud owner of Kona's Surfer Girl, aka Loki.

First limiting the entry numbers per handler will backfire, just as the change to limit entries. IMO, Last years' loading up of tests were driven by the location of the MN. In CO most tests filled up within days vs. in years past you could wait until the last week or even the day before with no limits. The clubs near by this years MN will see the same action.

The earlier estimate on cost, like mentioned, it was missing some substantial costs like birds, the formula is #entries X 1.2 X $10. Also the paid help was off by $1200. Most of our paid help get a minimum of $50 for JH/SH and $75 for MH (usually a 10 hour day). We do not pay live gunners as that is a position of valor. There are times I want to go up to the "ivory gallery" and pass a hat for donations just after I take a gunny sack of dead birds out to the longest mark on a re-bird. Oh' ya, I just came off a popper station to run my dog then back in the field again 'cause I got a pretty throw, or at least the one the judge likes.

In past years' posts over the future of the Club, it was mentioned or noted that "is your club a club of like minded individuals PARTICIPATING in a common activity" or has has it become JUST a mechanism to conduct a Test and the community of the Club is an afterthought. Most are of the latter. There are very few that jump to action to get the test planned and implemented ahead of time. Because the burn out of these certain few, a known test is always threatened to be canceled before someone else steps forward. I suspect you'll see less double Master tests and more canceled tests unless the Club participation level increases as a social Club than a Club just running tests. Clubs that want a true Club test may want to consider dropping MN membership to keep the numbers more manageable or at least a break even. But this means no paid help and all hands on deck in the field. This option has been discussed by Clubs two years ago when the MN was going to raise the membership fee, to cut cost this was an option but the argument was that the Club would loose Pros coming to the test. When you look at the number of members (armatures) putting on a MN campaign, this is less than 10% or 3-4 members in a club of 45 members, moving back to a sport/social event makes sense.

It's never a problem with Junior or Senior. It's only with Master, and only with clubs that are MN members.

You've got it backwards. It's only a concern when you are trying to run a particular test on a particular weekend for example a local club. If you are in a hurry to do something else, then you do something else.

Apparently I was not clear enough, not that it's important , I was referring to Master entries, although I do run JH and SH dogs as well. We will have big numbers in Masters on the west coast this year because of the MN being on the west coast.

"The longer you let a dog go in the wrong direction the more they think they are going in the right direction" Don Remien.

I really find it hard to believe that one pro has 20 MH dogs at one time? If he does than his future is in jeopardy. If I was a pro Id have a mix of JH-MH that way my business keeps moving ahead.
So for the pros here how many of you have nothing but one level dog on their truck?
In a 60 dog field if 6 pros showed with 5 MH dogs that's only half the field.

I'm really confused by some of the comments. Now if the club is a MN approved I could see a pro entering all his clients wishing to have their dog qualify for the MN.

The pros I know that run 20+ Master dogs are most assuredly not struggling! Their future is not in jeopardy. They all have an assistant trainer that does obedience, force fetch, basics & transition. This trainer normally runs the Jr/Sr dogs or helps shuttle the Master dogs. The system works.

The pros I know that run 20+ Master dogs are most assuredly not struggling! Their future is not in jeopardy. They all have an assistant trainer that does obedience, force fetch, basics & transition. This trainer normally runs the Jr/Sr dogs or helps shuttle the Master dogs. The system works.

You missed what I was saying, if he only has MH on his truck. The pro you speak of has the mix I was talking about.

The foundation to a great retriever is obedience.
Firestorms Full Throttle Chevy aka Callie-Roo 7/5/2007 - 10/25/2013 I miss you every day
Proud owner of Kona's Surfer Girl, aka Loki.